With the second semester of senior year upon us this school year, senioritis is bound to happen. A loss of motivation to complete work or be productive is a common issue seniors face. In order to prevent this from happening, here are a few tips to ensure that you are not falling behind and are staying on top of everything.
One of the easiest ways to make sure you aren’t affected by senioritis is to set goals. Long term goals, short term goals, or just anything to make sure you know what you want to achieve next can be really helpful in making sure you don’t lose motivation. To set these goals, I recommend using the acronym SMART. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Simply reading your goals later on after creating them can boost your chances of success, especially if you describe them in detail. I recommend writing them somewhere you know you can easily access them, whether it be on your phone, in a journal, or in a planner. The goals you make don’t necessarily have to be related to school and work. They can be about anything, as long as they align with your interests and with the acronym SMART.
Another way to battle senioritis is to reflect. High school has its highs and lows, but you were able to get through it all, and you’re almost at the finish line. To finish off strong with senior year, think about all your achievements in the past few years. What went well? What could’ve gone better? Use these reflection questions to think about what you can change to ensure that your senior year will be successful. In addition, reflecting on yourself will help you figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are, which gives you a better scope in terms of what you still need to develop versus what you can continue to develop. The second semester of senior year is the perfect time to think about where you are at and where you want to be, as this self-reflection will help you understand the last few steps you need to take to be the best version of yourself, regardless of the path you want to take after graduation.
Finally, one of the most effective ways to stay motivated in your last days as a high school student is to reward yourself. The reward doesn’t have to be big, but it has to be something that you look forward to and is relaxing. For example, promise yourself that you can watch an episode of your favorite TV show if you finish your math homework first. It might be hard to get used to this at first, since the temptation to just have the reward will be big, however, withstanding this the first few times you plan to reward yourself will only be to your benefit. Finding a balance between your tasks is important, but not doing so in the right manner can contribute to senioritis. Just remember not to make your rewards unreasonably larger than your tasks, and you will see how helpful it is to have a short term motivator in terms of getting your work done.
As a senior myself, I know the effects of senioritis and how it can feel hard to do almost anything. However, these tips have really helped me make sure that I am not falling behind, being unproductive, or wasting time during my senior year.
